Abstract

Due to the fact that many American Football players sustained a knee injury, preventive knee braces have been developed which supposedly protect the Medial Collateral Ligament. Results of epidemiologic studies regarding the efficacy of preventive knee braces are inconsistent, however. Two potential causes may produce this inconsistency; the design and conduct of the study and factors affecting the relationship between the use of preventive knee braces and the occurrence of knee injuries. First, factors affecting this relationship were discussed. Second, epidemiologic studies regarding the efficacy of preventive knee braces were evaluated. It was found that non of the epidemiologic studies controlled for all factors affecting the abovementioned relationship. Also, because of the poor quality of design and conduct of the studies, no inferences can be made about the efficacy of preventive knee braces used by high school and college players. Verf.-Referat